Evolvulus plant named ‘RMEVO28301’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Evolvulus  plant named ‘RMEVO28301’, characterized by its upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit, dense and bushy appearance; freely flowering habit and long flowering period; large violet blue-colored flowers with white-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Evolvulus hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘RMEVO28301’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Evolvulus Plant Named ‘REMVO28301’

Inventor/Applicant: Rika Matsumoto

Provisional application Ser. No.: 62/974,516

Filed: Dec. 3, 2019

Inventor/Applicant does not claim the benefit of this provisional U.S. Patent Application.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT & ASSIGNEE

The Inventor/Applicant and Assignee assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor/Applicant and/or the Assignee. Inventor/Applicant and Assignee claim a prior art exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Evolvulus plant, botanically known as Evolvulus hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘RMEVO28301’.

The new Evolvulus plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous and mounding Evolvulus plants with numerous attractive flowers and long flowering period.

The new Evolvulus plant originated from a cross-pollination on Jul. 17, 2015 of a proprietary seedling selection of Evolvulus hybrida identified as code designation 07E12-01, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed cultivated selection of Evolvulus hybrida, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Evolvulus plant was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan on Aug. 22, 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Evolvulus plant by vegetative tip cuttings since Aug. 23, 2016 in a controlled greenhouse in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan has shown that the unique features of this new Evolvulus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘RMEVO28301’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘RMEVO28301’ as a new and distinct Evolvulus plant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly mounded plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit, dense and bushy appearance.     -   4. Freely flowering habit and long flowering period.     -   5. Large violet blue-colored flowers with white-colored centers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Evolvulus can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Evolvulus differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Evolvulus have a mounding plant habit         whereas plants of the female parent selection have a creeping         plant habit.     -   2. Plants of the new Evolvulus flower earlier than plants of the         female parent selection.

Plants of the new Evolvulus can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Evolvulus differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower size as plants of the new Evolvulus have larger flowers than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Evolvulus can be compared to plants of Evolvulus hybrida ‘American Blue’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Evolvulus differ primarily from plants of ‘American Blue’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Evolvulus have a mounding plant habit         whereas plants of ‘American Blue’ have a creeping and sprawling         plant habit.     -   2. Plants of the new Evolvulus flower earlier than plants of         ‘American Blue’.

Plants of the new Evolvulus can also be compared to plants of Evolvulus hybrida ‘USEVO1201’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,447. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Evolvulus differ primarily from plants of ‘RMEVO28301’ in growth habit as plants of the new Evolvulus are more vigorous than and not as compact as plants of ‘RMEVO28301’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Evolvulus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘RMEVO28301’ grown in a container. Plants used for the photograph were grown during the summer in 33-cm containers an outdoor nursery in Carleton, Mich. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 26° C. and night temperatures averaged 20° C. Plants were pinched one time and were 15 weeks old when the photograph was taken.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 30-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Carleton, Mich. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 26° C. and night temperatures averaged 20° C. Plants were 18 weeks old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Evolvulus hybrida ‘RMEVO28301’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Evolvulus hybrida identified as code name 07E12-01, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed cultivated selection of             Evolvulus hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three days at             temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About four days at             temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About 15 days at             temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About 20 days at             temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white in color; actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading and             mounding plant habit; freely branching growth habit with             lateral branches developing at potentially at every node;             dense and bushy appearance; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 16 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 50 cm by 52 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 21 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm to 2.5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.25 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong, wiry and flexible.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright then falling outwardly and             decumbent.         -   Texture and luster.—Densely pubescent; matte.         -   Color.—Close to 144A variably tinged with close to 197A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.         -   Length.—About 3.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.75 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical to slightly obovate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse, rounded.         -   Base.—Attenuate to obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire; not undulate.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Slightly pubescent;             slightly glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Pubescent; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,             close to 146A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 146B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture             and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; matte.             Color, upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower surface:             Close to 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Salverform rotate flowers;             flowers terminal and axillary; freely flowering habit with             typically ten to twelve flower buds and flowers per             terminal; flowers face upright to slightly outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of             the new Evolvulus begin flowering about 40 days after             planting; plants flower continuously from spring until frost             in Michigan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one to two             days on the plant; flowers persistent, but typically abscise             when dry.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.3 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 1 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.25 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Obovate to obelliptic. Color: Petals, close to 94A;             sepals, close to 146A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five fused petals arranged in a             salverform shape with a slender tube. Petal lobe length             (from throat): About 1.1 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.1 cm.             Petal shape: Obovate to spatulate. Petal apex: Rounded or             emarginate. Petal margin: Erose, ragged or entire. Petal             texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety; slightly glossy. Petal texture and luster, lower             surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Throat texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Tube texture and luster: Slightly             pubescent; slightly glossy. Color: Petal lobe, when opening,             upper surface: Close to 96A. Petal lobe, when opening, lower             surface: Close to 96C. Petal lobe, fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 96B; central star pattern, close to             NN155A; venation, close to 96B; color becoming closer to 96B             to 96C with development. Petal lobe, fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 96B to 96C; venation, close to 96B to 96C;             color becoming closer to 96C to 96D with development.             Throat: Close to NN155A; venation, close to NN155A. Tube:             Close to NN155A; venation, close to NN155A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx with five sepals fused             towards the base and arranged in a single whorl. Sepal             length: About 5.5 mm. Sepal width: About 1.5 mm. Sepal             shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acuminate. Sepal margin:             Entire. Sepal texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous; slightly glossy. Sepal texture and luster, lower             surface: Densely pubescent; slightly glossy. Color, upper             surface: Close to 144A. Color, lower surface: Close to 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Angle: If terminal, upright to slightly outwardly; if             axillary, about 45° from stem axis. Strength: Strong, wiry             and flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About five per             flower. Filament length: About 7.5 mm. Filament color: Close             to NN155D. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About             2 mm. Anther color: Close to NN155A. Pollen amount: None             observed. Pistils: Quantity: One to five per flower. Pistil             length: About 7 mm. Style length: About 5.5 mm. Style color:             Close to NN155D. Stigma shape: Fine and threadlike,             bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to NN155D. Ovary color: Close             to 145C. Seeds and fruits: To date, seed nor fruit             development has not been observed on plants of the new             Evolvulus. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Evolvulus have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about −5° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Evolvulus     have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common     to Evolvulus plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Evolvulus plant named ‘RMEVO28301’ as illustrated and described. 